


XOXO, Keith

by redlionboys



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Poor Keith, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-25 15:12:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9825995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redlionboys/pseuds/redlionboys
Summary: Lance is always with Keith.Except for when he's not.But always when he's not.Keith is never with Lance.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize in advance for the shortness also it's sad sorry

Keith sighed and dropped his head onto the cold desk, banging it over and over again.

 

“You know, you really shouldn’t do that.”

 

He looked up quickly and rolled his eyes when he saw Lance perched up on the end of the wooden desk, smirking like the little shit he was. The boy’s green army jacket was tied around his waist and he kept swinging his feet like a child. Keith hated to admit it, but he looked adorable.

 

“Could you leave me alone for once?” he growled, digging his nails into the desk. 

 

“No can do, Keithy boy, you’re stuck with me,” Lance said, picking at his nails. 

 

Keith rolled his eyes. “I hate you, you know that, right?”

 

The other boy squeezed Keith’s cheeks. “No you don’t. You love me.”

 

Keith sighed and pressed a quick kiss on Lance’s lips before shoving him out of the way and blushing. They’d been dating for what, a year now? Probably the best year of Keith’s life, and one of the longest due to his boyfriend’s crazy ideas. 

 

Lance interrupted his thoughts. “When does Shiro get home?”

 

“A few hours,” Keith replied after glancing at the clock. “He’s working a little later than usual today.”

 

Lance rubbed his hands together while stalking around Keith’s office chair. “Good, this gives us time for shenanigans.”

 

“I will take no part in such matters,” Keith said, snapping his green binder closed and stretching like a cat into his chair. “Doesn’t your mom worry that you’re here, like, all the time now? She hasn’t talked to Shiro or I in ages.”

 

Lance stilled. A shadow of something crossed his face before he relaxed, leaning on the end of Keith’s bed. “She’s fine with me being here. You know mamá trusts you guys.”

 

“I just found it strange, that’s all.” Keith crouched down to pick up a few stray papers. “What do you want to do today? I set up the TV today, so we can watch Netflix.”

 

“That’s something I miss dearly,” Lance said. 

 

“What?”

 

“Something I  _ would  _ miss dearly, that is,” Lance said quickly. “If I didn’t have access to it, of course.”

 

Keith gave him a strange look but eventually turned away. “Supernatural? Or Phineas and Ferb?”

 

“Um, what do you think?” Lance said, pulling Keith’s arm until they fell backward on the bed together. “I want to watch the most wonderful story about two brothers and their crazy lives. I want love scandals, heartbreak, and adventure.”

 

Keith rolled them over, reaching for the remote. “So Phineas and Ferb it is, then.”

 

“You know me too well,” Lance said, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and holding him close. Keith just shook his head and laughed softly, turning on the TV and getting into Netflix. After selecting the show, he relaxed into Lance’s arms. But something was weird. 

 

“Dude, you’re freezing,” Keith yelped, grabbing a blanket and pulling it over their bodies. 

 

“Sorry,” Lance apologized, voice slightly shaky. “It’s just… cold outside, I guess.”

 

“We’ve been inside all day and it’s July,” Keith said. “Are you okay? You’ve been weird the past couple weeks. Are we good?”

 

“Of course we are, baby, there’s just a lot going on,” Lance said. “Let’s just watch TV for a little bit and then take a nap or something.”

 

“I’m gonna take you out,” Keith decided. “We haven’t been out in weeks, maybe that’s what we need.”

 

Keith could feel Lance shake his head vigorously. “I’d rather spend time just here with you, if that’s okay.”

 

Keith hesitated for a moment before relenting. “Okay, but we’re going out sometime.”

 

Lance’s voice shook as he replied, “We’ll see.”

 

“I love you,” Keith said, twisting around to look back at Lance. Lance smoothed down his hair and kissed his forehead. 

 

“I love you too,” he whispered. 

  
  


When Keith woke up, it was dark outside and Lance was gone. The window was closed and slivers of moonlight danced on the floor. Yawning and stretching, Keith got up, padding over to his desk where a sticky note was stuck, reading,  _ Had to leave, knew tomorrow would be hard for you xoxo Lance. _

 

Keith tilted his head in confusion. What was tomorrow? He crossed the room to check his calendar for the date. As soon as he saw it, he realized. Quickly turning around, he ran down the stairs, hoping Shiro was home. Pots clanking around in the kitchen answered his question. 

 

“Hey Shiro?” Keith said, walking over to the counter and sitting on a stool. His brother looked exhausted, with his rumpled uniform and deep bags under his eyes. 

 

“What’s up, kid?” His voice sounded groggy.

 

“Can I visit mom and dad tomorrow?” asked Keith, tracing circles on the countertop.

 

Shiro nodded. “I wish I could come with you, but I have to work again. Then I’m going out with Allura-” he paused, “-for work reasons.”

 

“Ah, yes, work reasons,” Keith teased. 

 

Shiro punched him playfully in the arm, then his face went serious again. “You visiting Lance tomorrow too?”

 

“I guess,” Keith said. “While I’m out.”

 

Shiro gave him a weird look. “You want money for flowers?”

 

Keith shook his head. “No, I should be fine…”

 

“Okay, just offering,” said Shiro, closing up a kitchen cabinet. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m off to bed. Night, kid.”

 

“Good night,” Keith called after his brother, following soon after. When he reached his room, he glanced at the calendar one last time. July 16th- the anniversary of his parent’s death. 

  
  
  


Keith cleared his throat. “Hey mom, hey dad.”

 

The wet grass was soaking through his jeans, but he didn’t care; just kept sitting, staring at the gravestone. The names carved into the marble were eroding, but Keith knew the words by heart. He leaned forward and placed a gentle hand on it, breathing deeply. 

 

“Lance knew what today was,” he went on. “I wish you guys got to meet him. I’m in love with him, you know? Just like you guys were. I think… I think you’d like how happy he makes me. I wish… I wish there was some way you could meet him.”

 

“We’ve met.”

 

Keith whipped around and saw Lance in that same outfit he wore every day. His boyfriend smiled, not moving from the position he stood in. Lace nodded towards the headstone. 

 

“Your parents are good people, Keith,” he said. “We talk about you a lot.”

 

“How?” Keith sputtered. 

 

Lance smiled sadly. “You forgot again, didn’t you?”

 

“What did I forget?” asked Keith. Lance’s eyes softened and he gestured for Keith to follow him as he walked away, towards the front of the cemetery. Keith followed, tripping over a few tree roots along the way. The cemetery always looked weird at dawn, wisps of remaining fog settling over dew stained grass and the smell of dirt and flowers wafting through the air. It was home for Keith. 

 

Suddenly, Lance stopped. Keith looked where the other boy was standing, in front of a wide gravestone. He carefully stepped towards it, first noticing the dead roses wrapped with a ribbon falling apart beneath the stone. A worn tag was rest beside it. Keith picked it up and ran a thumb over it. 

 

_ I remembered, I’m sorry. XOXO, Keith  _

 

“What is this?” Keith whispered. 

 

“Look.” Lance pointed to the headstone. 

 

Keith’s heart stopped in his chest when he read the words inscribed. “What the fuck? Lance, what is this?”

 

“You keep forgetting, Keith,” Lance breathed. “That’s why I’m still here.”

 

Keith let out a whimper. “No, you’re not… you- you can’t be,” he sobbed, reaching for Lance. His hand passed straight through the other boy’s arm and he fell forward, landing on the wet grass. 

 

“Keith, you have to let go,” Lance said, crouching down next to him. “You have to remember. You’re keeping me here,  _ please _ .”

 

“Lance, this is some joke, right? This isn’t  _ real _ .”

 

“Keith,” Lance begged, “you have to let me go. It’s not normal for me to stay here, I don’t belong in Earth anymore. You continuing to forget hurts me. I love you, Keith, but it’s time to go.”

 

Suddenly, it all came back to Keith. The body, the old woman crying, Shiro’s arms on his shoulders as he sobbed, the fear when Lance appeared in his room one morning, the elation he felt thinking he could keep him, then the loss of his memory multiple times. 

 

“You’re…” he gulped, “dead.”

 

Lance nodded sadly. “I miss you, too, but you keep bringing me back here, and I can’t bring myself to tell you every time you forget. But I need you to let me go.  _ Please _ .”

 

“I can’t live with you gone,” Keith cried. 

 

“And every day I die even more because you make me live,” pressed Lance, face twisted into a concerned frown. “Keith, you’re destroying both of us.” 

 

Keith choked on his tears, snot running down his face in a totally attractive manner. “I don’t want to.”

 

“You  _ have  _ to,” Lance said, his body slowly dissipating into the fog. “Please, Keith.  _ I love you _ .”

 

And then he was gone. 


End file.
